Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Bedeviled Sleepwalkers





 I'm back to revising my YA gothic, MOONHILL. One of the first things I needed to do was cut a comparison and replace it with a new one that would put the same spooky image in the reader's mind, but not give away a story element.  


It didn’t take me long to discover that sleepwalking would work just fine. In fact, I was left wondering why I hadn’t thought of it to begin with. Sleepwalking is pretty spooky--whether you’re the walker or the person watching.

As a child, I was a sleepwalker. Normally, I was petrified of walking around at night in the hallways of our huge Georgian house. I didn't even like to have my toes dangling over the edge of the bed when I slept. But when I was sleepwalking, the dark didn’t bother me at all.  I’d wander down the halls and the winding staircase, through one living room to the other, and startle my older sister and their boyfriend (I suspect I broke up more than one romantic session).  Once, when I was in my teens, I sleepwalked out to the front yard and lined up as if a fire drill was happening. Luckily, my friend dragged me back inside.  It was a hot summer night and I wasn’t wearing much.

How about you, have you ever sleepwalked? Have you ever seen anyone do it?

Personally, I find it quite creepy.








Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Some of our Character's Valentine's Day Plans




TEEN ADVENTURERS GET THOUGHTFUL
--Pat Esden

The main character in my YA gothic,Moonhill, has big--well, more like heavy--Valentine’s Day plans.  Anie thinks Chase’s stone cottage is a bit too austere and could use more comforts.  She picked up a big, cushy 1940’s armchair at an auction. Then, because the chair wasn’t all that personal, she bought him a handmade knife with antler handle and had his name etched into it. 

The whole Valentine’s thing is a tough one for Chase. He’s never had to buy gifts until recently and never for a girl he has the hots for.  Chase asks Selena to help him.  With credit card in hand, she hauls Chase to Bar Harbor and helps him pick out a funky 1950’s Tiffany broach . . . and a silk scarf and a pair of stilettos. Chase brings it all home from the shopping trip, but leaves most of the ‘junk’ behind when he take Anie for a sunrise walk on the beach and gives her the brooch—which is much more useful as it can be used to pick locks or for self-defense if necessary . . .  Read the rest on my sister blog  http://fivecuriosities.blogspot.com

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

What's Up?




I’m related to some amazing artists, singers and writers, so in the future I’m going to touch on them now and again.

Here’s what my sisters, Robin Rice Lichtig and Ruby Rice, are up to at this time.

The World Premier of Robin’s play “Alice in Black and White” is February 28-March 9 in Louisville Kentucky.

The play tells the story of Alice Austen (1866-1952) who fell in love with photography and another woman at a time when young women were expected to do neither (see photo below and more details on link).   http://www.lookingforlilith.org/index.php/production-history/alice-in-black-and-white.html


Ruby is opening her Visionary Healing Art Sanctuary in Colrain Massachusettes to writers. Spend an inspired afternoon in her studio writing poetry or fiction. Your work may even end up included in a future mixed media book.  Check out the link to see more of her art and the ‘news’ section to learn more about the open studio invite :   http://www.vhasanctuary.com

I’ve also heard rumblings that Ruby’s art is going be available at an upcoming New York City show. I’ll post more details once I know them.

How about you guys—are there any artists or writers in your family? What are they up to?